Shaker



July 1, 1941.

v.1. L. VAN ARKEL SHAKER Filed April 18;' A1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Jamba/@14a whey.;

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July 1, l941 J. L. VAN ARKEI. V2,247,978

SHAKER Filed April 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEY SHAKER John L. Van. Arkel, Haddonfeld, N. J., assignor to Arthur H. Thomas Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,391

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shakers and more particularly to shakers specially adapted for use in clinical and like laboratory work.

In clinical andv other laboratory work many occasions arise which require the agitation of one or more substances to effect the proper mixture, separation or other physical treatment thereof. In numerous instances the severity and length of time required for such physical treatment is not only fatiguing,A if required to be done manually, but also takes the technician away from other work and even then only one or two vessels can be agitated or shaken at one time by an individual. Recently, therefore, there has been a demand'for an inexpensive compact agitation or shaking device which is generally useful in the physical agitation of laboratory specimens and which may be employed vto treat a number of similar or different specimens at one time. I'

With the foregoing observations in mind, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel shaker or agitator for laboratory and like uses which is readily adaptable for the various physical treatments required in laboratory work and which may be employed to treat a number of similar or different types or kinds of specimens at the same time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaker or agitator of the character set forth which embodies a novel gyratory agitating or shaking movement and which is characterized by its comparative simplicity and relatively inexpensive cost to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaker of the type described which occupies a small amount of space and which is very quiet and economical in operation.

More particularly the invention resides in certain novel parts and features of the shaker and the construction, arrangement and operation thereof.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter more fully set forth and described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a shaker made according to and embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in section taken on line 2 2, Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a View in section taken on line 3 3, Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the Adrawings, reference numeral I designates a channelshaped base structure of relatively heavy material such as metal, and surrounding the four sides of this base member I is a casing 2 of sheet metal or other suitable material. As shown, this casing 2 extends an appreciable distance or height above the base member I.

. Secured in any suitable manner as by means of aistud bolt 3 at or adjacent each of the four corners of the base member I is a helical or' coiled spring 4 and these springs 4 are vertically disposed with respect to said base member I and extend to a heightr or distance slightly above the upper edges of the surrounding casing structure 2.

The upper ends of these springs 4 are similarly secured, as indicated at 5, to the underside of a platform or table-like structure 6 at or adjacent the four corners respectively thereof as shown. This platform or table 6 preferablyv projects a short distance beyond the casing v2 and the upper surfacev thereof is preferably vcovered or coated with a sheet or thickness of sponge rubber-or the like 'I so as to provide a resilient support for articles placed upon the platform as well as to provide the same with a relatively non-skid surface.

Except for their connections to the base member I and the platform 6 the springs 4 are without support and since they constitute the sole support for said platform 5 the latter is substantially floating and hence relatively free to move with respect to the base structure when suitably actuated.

A motor M controlled by a switch S and having a double ended shaft 8 of conventional form is secured centrally to the underside of the platform 6 in such manner that the said' shaft 8 thereof has its axis horizontally disposed and extends parallel to andbelow the said platform E. Eccentrically secured upon the motor shaft 8 at each end thereof is a circular member 9 of proper weight, and it will be observed'that while these members 3 are eccentrically secured upon said shaft 8 they are not oppositely disposed with but havetheir geometric centers in alignment as will be seen by reference to Figure 3 of the drawings.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision upon the platform 6 of supporting rods I0 to which clamps may be secured for supporting flasks-tubes and like laboratory equipment. These rods I0 are secured to the platform or table 6 at their lower ends onlyand.

form 6 at opposite sides of the axis of the motor' shaft 8 as desired and as Well along the front and rear edges of said platform, although the gyratory movement kimparted to the rods in such regions is not as great as that imparted thereto when positioned in the particular location and' relation shown in the drawings. i.

The provision of these vertical supporting rods l greatly broadens the utility and eld of usefulness `of the present invention in that by the use of laboratory clamps of the conventional type any of the -usual laboratory vessels of various types may be secured thereto and their contents subjected to the gyratory shaking action of the device. As illustrative of this wide adaptation o-f the device, I have shown mounted or otherwise secured thereon by means of the rods I0 and suitable clamps, a test tube `I I, flask I2, and a test tube rackl. ious laboratory equipment such as, for example, Kline and other type slides I4, etc., may bersupported or secured directly upon the surface 1 of the platform A6 by means of detachable resilient straps I or any other means without employing or utilizing the rods lil. In operation of the levice, since the motor shaft 8 is horizontally disposed and the eccentric members 9 thereon rotate in vertical planes the movement imparted to the platform 6 tends.-

` is opposed VQby the tension of its supporting springs 4 and apparently this component in part is resolved into a lateral gyratory movementk since the said platform 6 seems actually tofollow a combined vertical and lateral elliptical course thus imparting to substancesV subjected to the action of the device a combined shaking and whirling action or movement.

This whirling effect or action manifests itself particularly in the treatment of liquids in vessels of the smaller order of diameters such as the test tube Il and in inverted asks such as I2 when such vvessels are secured adjacent the upper end of a rod IU and when the other rod of that pair has also secured to it another vessel or an equivalent weight.

This distinct'manifestation of the whirling action imparted to fluids supported from the rods l0 apparently is-due to a decided whip action that is given the .upper free end of said rods by the motor M and the eccentric members 9 acting through the platform 6 for as the position of the supporting clamp is moved downward along the rods I0 the violence of the whirling action gradually diminishes. Furthermore, this whirling action becomes openly apparent to the human eye only if a similar vessel or an equivalent weight is supported by a corresponding rod audit is thought that this either balances or `dampens such of the components or harmonies of the vibratory motion as may be neces- In addition, varsary to produce the violent whirling action which is manifest under these circumstances.

Maximum agitation of substances in vessels supported from the support rods I0 is observed and takes place when such vessels are supported from said rods I0 by clamps or other means disposed or extending at right angles or perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the motor shaft 8, and the violence of this agitation diminishes as the vessels are moved circumferentially of the rods I0 reaching a minimum when the clamps or other supporting means are disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the said motor shaft 8. In addition, it will be celar that furthervariation in the amplitude of the gyratory action produced may be varied as desired by changing the positions of the eccentric members I 9 so that their'geometric centers are in various more entirely `novel gyratory motions for such It will begobserved also that the depositions of misalignment instead of in alignment as shown in the particular embodiment of purposes. vice of the present invention'is relatively simple and compact and capable of relatively inexpensive manufacture thus making it available` to any person having use therefor.

The device is further characterized by its eX- tremely quiet and economical operation and this is afeature not found in analogous devices heref tofore available and designed for one or another specific use or purpose. The device is advantageous also in that it is capable of many and varied laboratory uses involving the physical` treatment of specimenrs andv by its design and construction'it is not limited to any one specific or special use as is' the case of the majority of agitating or shaking devices heretofore available to the laboratory technician.

While one particular embodiment of the invention -has been herein illustratedV and described, it is not intended that the invention be posedv above said platform, a bracket secured to each support rod adjacent vits free upper ends and arranged to support a container laterally adjacentV such rods, and means for rotatively driving the shaft and its eccentric members to impart a gyratory shaking movement to the platform, the gyratory shaking movement o f the platform in turn operating to impart a Whip-l like gyration to the free end portions of said the containers supported horizontal platform resiliently supported for relative freedom of movement, a shaft carried by said platform at the underside thereof with its axis extending parallel to the platform, eccentric members secured upon said shaft, at least one pair of relatively slender elongated support rods vertically disposed upon the platform and secured thereto at their lower ends only so that the remaining portions thereof are freely disposed above said platform, said rods being respectively located at corresponding positions centrally along opposite edges of the platform, a bracket secured to each support rod adjacent its free upper ends and arranged to support a container laterally adjacent such rods, and means for rotatively driving the shaft and its eccentric members to impart a gyratory shaking movement to the platform, the gyratory shaking movement of the platform in turn operating to impart a whip-like gyration to the free end portions of said support rods and the containers supported thereby.

3. In a device of the character described, a base structure, a horizontal platform resiliently supported for relative freedom of movement With respect to said base structure, a shaft carried by said platform at the underside thereof, eccentric members secured upon said shaft, at least one pair of relatively slender elongated support rods vertically disposed upon the platform and secured thereto at their lower ends only so that the remaining portions thereof are freely disposed above said platform, said rods being respectively located at corresponding positions along opposite edges of the platform and at respectively opposite sides of the shaft, a

bracket secured to each support rod adjacent its free upper ends and arranged to support a container laterally adjacent such rods, and means for rotatively driving the shaft and its eccentric members to impart a gyratory shaking movement to the platform, the gyratory shaking movement of the platform in turn operating to impart a whip-like gyration to the free end portions of said support rods and the containers supported thereby.

4. In a device of the character described, a base structure, a horizontal platform resiliently supported for relative freedom of movement with respect to said base structure, a shaft carried by said platform at the underside thereof with its axis extending parallel to the platform, eccentric members secured upon said shaft, at

least one pair of relatively slender elongated support rods vertically disposed upon the platform and secured thereto at their lower ends only so that the remaining portions thereof are freely disposed above said platform, said rods being respectively located at corresponding positions centrally along opposite edges of the platform and at respectively opposite sides of the axis of the shaft, a bracket secured to each support rod adjacent its free upper ends and arranged to support a container laterally adjacent such rods, and means for rotatively driving the shaft and its eccentric members to impart a gyratory shaking movement to the platform, the gyratory shaking movement of the platform in turn operating to impart a Whip-like gyration to the free end portions of said support rods and the containers supported thereby.

JOHN L. VAN ARKEL. 

